From 1953 through 1982, Chevrolet™ manufactured its Corvette™ automobiles in its manufacturing facility in St. Louis, Mo. (Chevrolet™ and Corvette™ are trademarks of General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich.). Beginning in 1955, Chevrolet™ incorporated a plan to address potential quality issues that might arise during the manufacturing process of particular engine options. Consequently, Chevrolet implemented the practice of stamping information on each engine manufactured. This information was individually hand stamped into each engine using a hammer and a stamping device 1 like the one illustrated in FIG. 1.
As shown in FIG. 2A, the engine code information was stamped onto an engine pad 10 of each engine 100. The use of these stamped engine codes began in both of the Chevrolet™ Corvette's™ V8 engine assembly plants beginning in 1955. One plant was located in Flint, Mich., while the other was in Tonawanda, N.Y. Both plants stamped a code relating to the specific manufactured application of the engine. In addition to engine assembly information stamped at Flint and Tonawanda, the car-line plant in St. Louis, Mo., Chevrolet™ stamped a derivative of the vehicle identification number (VIN), again using a hammer and a stamping device like the one shown in FIG. 1.
For example, in 1967 the Tonawanda factory built many V8 engines including Corvette™ specific 427 cubic inch versions. If one of these engines was to be assembled in the 390 horse power (hp) configuration for use in a car that had a 4-speed transmission and smog equipment, an assembly line operator at the factory would stamp the assembly code into engine pad 10 of engine 100 including a suffix of “IM” using stamping device 1. (see arrow 5 of FIG. 2A) This would confirm to workers in the Tonawanda or St. Louis engine manufacturing facility all of the specific sub-components needed for that engine assembly. The stamped assembly code was used to identify the specific application of every engine manufactured. Therefore, versions specific to Corvette™ would have its own suffix code designation.
Thus, Chevrolet™ used the engine stampings as a way to communicate assembly information as the engine and automobile was being built. Once the automobile left the factory, this information had served its intended purpose and was no longer used by Chevrolet™.
Today the Chevrolet™ Corvettes™ manufactured in the 1960's and 1970's are considered by many to be collector items. Like many collector items, the value of a piece depends, often in great part, on its condition and its originality. Given the rarity and popularity of these automobiles, many of these automobiles have become very expensive which, in turn, has created a motivation for some to forge or alter some automobiles in an effort to increase their value. Thus, there is a continuing need to be able to determine if the engine in an automobile is original or a reproduction.